“He’s got a bit of an old soul in him,” his mom, Jenny Lay, told KOIN 6 News.

While many of his peers spend their free time watching TV, playing video games or hanging out outside, Dusty says he enjoys more philanthropic hobbies.

“A lot of people run into a streak of bad luck and lose their homes and food,” Dusty said. “So I wanted to help bring hope to them.”

On his GoFundMe page, Dusty says he’s been volunteering at homeless shelters and soup kitchens in Philadelphia since he was 5. He hoped to continue his volunteer work when his family moved to the Pacific Northwest.

After checking out several soup kitchens in the Portland area, Dusty was sad to learn they required volunteers to be 17 or older.

“I felt sad, I really wanted to help the homeless,” Dusty said. “I get to sit down at a dinner table and get a whole table full of food, while they get crumbs.”

But he wasn’t giving up that easily. The 9-year-old took matters into his own hands and started Dusty’s Sacks of Hope to help feed the homeless.

Today, he’s got a small team of volunteers by his side.

Dusty’s Sacks of Hope will take your donations and make bagged lunches, me and my family will drive into Portland and pass them out to people that need them..there are a lot of homeless people in Portland! Even kids my age. I really want to help them, and with your help, I can.